Global financial services major, Morgan Stanley, has successfully closed the Morgan Stanley Infrastructue Partners (MSIP) fund with $4 billion of equity commitments. The fund, which had set an initial target of $ 2.5 billion, would invest in assets that provide public goods or essential services in sectors such as transportation, energy and utilities, social infrastructure and communication. "The successful fund-raising underscores the particular demand for infrastructure investment and for alternative assets. It offers portfolio diversification and the ability to invest in real assets," said Morgan Stanley's Co-President, James Gorman. The fund was raised from markets in North America, Europe, Australia, Middle East and Asia and the investors included major pension funds, insurance companies and HNIs. MSIP is managed by the company's global investment platform, Morgan Stanley Infrastructure, which is a division of the merchant banking division within Morgan Stanley investment management.